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Friday, May 13, 2016

Armed Forces Day Communication Test

"Armed Forces Day 2016 Communication Test to Include Direct Military-Ham Contact
on 60 Meters, May 14

This year’s Armed Forces Day Crossband Communication
Test on Saturday, May 14, will include a significant new wrinkle: Select
military stations will be using 60 meter interoperability channels to
communicate directly with Amateur Radio stations on the band. Back this year,
select military stations will use crossband Automatic Link Establishment (2G
ALE) communication as well as MIL-STD Serial PSK to send the Secretary of
Defense Armed Forces Day message. Armed Forces Day 2016 is Saturday, May 21, but
the radio event is held earlier to avoid conflicting with Dayton Hamvention, May
20-22.

The annual Armed Forces Day Communication Test is an opportunity
to exercise two-way communication capability between Amateur Radio and military
stations using a variety of modes, including SSB and CW as well as digital
modes. The annual event gives participants — including shortwave listeners
(SWLs) — an opportunity to demonstrate their technical skills, and to receive
recognition from the appropriate military radio station.

QSL cards will
be provided to all stations that make contact with the military stations. The
Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard cosponsor the joint
military/Amateur Radio, with military stations transmitting on military
frequencies and listening on Amateur Radio bands.

Amateur Radio stations
and Short Wave Listeners interested in trying the MIL-STD Serial PSK mode can
download the software program, MS-DMT.

Full details about this year’s
Armed Forces Day radio activities — including stations, frequencies, times, and
modes of operation — will be posted by April 12 as well as on the US Army MARS
Facebook page."